Marina's Awakening (Seduced By Shadows Book 2)

Chapter Twenty

Islide my phone across the table, and its screen is filled with images capturing the dark allure of the hidden chamber. Emily and Drake lean in closer to examine the photos, but their expressions are hard to read. ”Take a look at this,” I tell them. ”These are the photos Marina and I took in the chamber we found.”

Drake picks up the phone, swiping through the images with a focused intensity. His brows furrow deeper with each passing photo, and his lips press into a thin line. ”This is... this is beyond anything I”ve seen before,” he finally says, locking eyes with me. ”You”ve stumbled upon something incredibly dangerous.”

”It”s like a nightmare,” Emily murmurs, her voice tinged with disbelief. ”A real-life chamber of horrors.”

”It was definitely creepy,” Marina confirms. ”And the symbols—there was something about them that felt familiar, yet unsettling.”

I nod in agreement, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach as I remember the eerie energy of the chamber. ”Exactly. The symbols, the artifacts, the ritual circle—they all point to something deeply unsettling and potentially catastrophic.”

Drake continues to scroll through the photos, his eyes narrowing as he studies the intricate details of the ritual circle. ”These glyphs,” he begins, tracing a finger along the edge of the screen, ”they”re not just random markings. They hold power, ancient power that”s been harnessed for a purpose.”

”As if creating a space like this wasn”t enough,” Emily adds, shaking her head. ”What else did you find?”

”Books on ancient rituals, potions, and spells. Vials containing mysterious fluids, herbs, and powders. And this,” I point to the bone table showing on the current photo, ”it”s a disturbing sight, but it”s also strangely beautiful in a macabre way.”

”Disturbing is right,” Marina agrees. ”But it”s not just about the artifacts. There are large copper pots mounted overhead, connected to strange pieces of technology I couldn”t even begin to understand. Charles has poured a shit ton of resources and money into this thing.”

”And what about these?” Drake asks, pointing to the alcoves containing pedestals with vials filled with shimmering liquids. ”Do you have any idea what these could be?”

”They could be potions,” Marina speculates.

As we sit there, surrounded by the chilling evidence of the chamber”s purpose, I can see Drake”s mind working overtime. His brow furrows deeper, his eyes darting from one photo to another, connecting the dots in ways that I can only begin to comprehend.

Finally, he breaks the silence, his voice tinged with a gravity that commands attention. ”This ritual circle,” he says, pointing again to the complex diagram, ”I”ve seen something like it before in old texts. It”s not just any ritual; it”s a death wave.”

”A death wave?” Emily echoes. ”What does that mean?”

”It means that this ritual, once activated, will send out a pulse of energy. It”ll kill every vampire within its range and incapacitate anyone who used to be one. That”s probably why he made sure to change Marina before activating it. He doesn”t want to kill her, just make her pay for the things she did as a vampire.”

The room falls into a stunned silence. We all exchange glances, our eyes meeting in a silent acknowledgment of the enormity of what we”ve uncovered.

”We have to stop them,” I finally say, my voice breaking the silence. ”If they go through with this ritual, it”ll mean the end of your entire race.”

”This isn”t your fight,” Emily reminds me, but I shake my head adamantly.

”It is now,” I tell her. ”Marina is involved, which means so am I. There”s no way in hell I can just let this happen.”

Drake rises from his seat, his posture straightening as if the weight of his title as king of the vampires settles upon him with renewed urgency. ”I need to call a meeting,” he declares.

”We need to gather all the clans, pool our resources, and strategize. This can”t wait.”

Emily nods, her face set in a mask of determination. ”You”re right. We need to act fast.”

”I”ll send out the summons immediately,” Drake says, already pulling out his phone to message his contacts. ”We”ll convene as soon as possible.”

As Drake steps away to make arrangements, Emily turns to Marina and me, her eyes softening. ”You two should take some time. This is heavy stuff, and you both need a moment to breathe.”

I look over at Marina, taking in her drained expression. The events of this last week must be taking a toll on her mental well-being as much as physical. And I”m not doing any better—it”s been difficult to keep up my guard with everything going on around us. But there”s no rest for the wicked—not if we want to prevent a catastrophic situation from unfolding.

”You okay?” I ask Marina gently, wrapping my arms around her and drawing her close against my chest. Her breathing still sounds labored, but at least she isn”t so pale anymore. She leans into me, letting out a deep sigh. ”I”ll be fine,” she says, her voice a barely audible murmur.

”That was an intense day.”

”Yeah.” She sighs again. ”But we got what we needed. Let”s go lie down for a bit? I think it would be good to relax.”

She doesn”t have to tell me twice—my body feels exhausted, drained by the events of the last twenty-four hours. The bed calls to me, and I trail behind Marina as she tugs me along toward our temporary room. Once we”re inside, we collapse onto the mattress, sinking into its soft embrace. Despite everything, it”s still possible for something to feel normal again. Just lying there together like this, taking comfort in one another, is enough for us both right now. But as Marina turns to look at me, her eyes filled with vulnerability and concern, I realize how much I care about her. This woman means so much to me already, and my heart breaks when she asks, ”What if they can”t stop them?”

I shake my head, trying to hide the worry churning in my gut. ”They will,” I tell her, but even to my own ears, my voice lacks conviction.

”Do you really believe that or are you just saying it to make me feel better?” she presses. ”You saw what they did yesterday. They attacked us out of nowhere.”

Her words stir up painful memories, causing an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach. I reach out, brushing her hair from her face and tucking a stray curl behind her ear. She smiles at me weakly and shifts closer, leaning into my touch. The gesture brings me comfort in a time when nothing seems certain, when everything is up in the air. My thumb moves gently along her cheek, drawing slow circles across her skin. Marina sighs, relaxing as I continue to stroke her face, tracing patterns on her smooth skin with gentle caresses. It”s such a simple thing—such a small gesture—and yet, it feels like more than that. There”s so much meaning packed into those few moments. It”s intimate in ways I”ve never felt before, bringing us closer together despite all the obstacles still standing between us.

My heart leaps as Marina reaches out, placing a hand over mine, holding it against her face as she looks at me through half-lidded eyes. She presses a soft kiss to the inside of my wrist, then whispers, ”Just in case... just in case they can”t stop them.”

I lean in, kissing her slowly, savoring the feel of her lips against mine. Her mouth tastes sweet and familiar, making me yearn for more. Our hands explore one another”s bodies as we sink into the bed together, tangling ourselves up in a passionate embrace. I brush my thumb against her bottom lip and groan when she parts them slightly. My cock stirs, thickening beneath the fabric of my jeans as she grinds her hips against mine.

Her scent intoxicates me, driving me wild with desire. Every nerve in my body ignites, sending an electric surge through my veins. We kiss deeply, our tongues dancing together as if perfectly choreographed. Marina slips her hand inside my shirt, caressing my chest gently as she guides us down onto the mattress. Her lips press against my neck, her teeth grazing my skin as she nibbles and kisses her way down to my shoulder, where she pauses to suck hard on the spot just above my pulse. A sharp ache shoots right through me, and I squeeze my eyes shut as pleasure rumbles deep in my core. I hear her giggle and pull back for a moment before moving lower, kissing and nipping at my exposed flesh until she reaches my abs. She sucks gently at the spot right above my belly button, making me squirm under her touch. My cock is rock-hard now, aching for release as Marina”s mouth continues its trail of soft kisses.

I”m breathing heavily, gasping as Marina tugs at my belt and unzips my pants. My dick strains against the fabric of my boxers, desperate for some relief from the teasing pressure. Marina dips her fingers beneath the waistband of my underwear, and her breath catches when she feels how hard I am. She pulls back for a moment, staring down at my aching member before pressing a hot, wet kiss just above the base, close enough to make me tremble with need. Her tongue laps over the sensitive skin there, and I feel her smile against my cock as it twitches involuntarily, responding to the pleasure of her touch. Marina wraps her hand around the shaft, pumping slowly at first, then gradually picking up speed. Each stroke causes an explosion of sensation that makes me moan with pleasure. My heart races in anticipation as she moves lower, kissing her way along the length of my erection before taking it into her mouth.

She takes me all the way to the base, letting out a soft moan as she bobs her head up and down. The sound sends sparks coursing through my body, causing every muscle in my abdomen to tighten as my arousal builds with every passing second. She takes me even deeper now, working her tongue across the underside of my dick in quick little swirls. I run my fingers through her hair, pulling slightly when she begins to hum low in her throat. The sensation is almost too much to bear. I close my eyes and throw my head back, losing myself in the incredible sensations she”s stirring inside me. Just when I think I can”t take anymore, Marina slides her lips up over my cock, sucking hard at the tip while wrapping her hand around my base. She strokes firmly, twisting her wrist as she works me up and down, driving me closer to orgasm with each passing moment.

My hips buck reflexively, thrusting forward with every stroke of her hand. Marina groans with pleasure, intensifying my desire. The sound sends a shiver up my spine, and I find myself wanting to make her feel the same kind of ecstasy. I reach down, tangling my fingers in her hair again and tugging gently until she meets my gaze. There”s such desire there that it takes my breath away. Then I pull her mouth off me and guide her onto the bed, so she”s laying on top of me. I kiss her slowly, running my hands along her sides and around to her back. She shivers at my touch, moaning softly as she grinds against my hard cock. ”I want you,” I tell her, breaking our kiss only long enough to say those three words before meeting her lips again for another hungry embrace. My dick pulses against her belly, and I feel the warmth of her skin through my shirt as we lie here together. It”s intoxicating, making me lose all control as I slip a hand beneath her sweater to cup her breast, teasing one of her nipples with my thumb.

She breaks free from the kiss first, sitting up so she can pull off her shirt. Her breasts are perfect—perky and round, tipped with light brown nipples that beg to be touched. I lean forward to lick them, eliciting a low moan from Marina”s throat as she tangles her fingers in my hair. My mouth moves down lower still, licking along her neck and between her tits until finally reaching her other nipple. She tastes salty against my tongue, but it”s delicious in a way that makes me want to devour every inch of her body.

”Gabriel...” she murmurs, tugging at my hair, urging me downward. ”Don”t tease.”

I slide a hand beneath the waistband of her jeans, sliding it down until my fingers meet wet heat. She gasps as I find her clit, stroking it in slow circles while simultaneously rubbing her folds with my other hand. Marina shudders at my touch before she wiggles out of her pants and tosses them on the floor. I strip off my own shirt then move back up toward her face, pressing soft kisses to her cheek, then jawline, and finally her lips. As our tongues dance together, we roll over so that she”s on top of me now, straddling my waist with her legs. I sit up and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close so that her nipples brush against my chest.

”You are so sexy,” I whisper into her ear, grazing the lobe with my teeth. She giggles, pushing me onto my back again before reaching for the button on my jeans. I help her push them off, leaving us both fully naked on the bed, reveling in the sensation of skin on skin contact. We move closer together and kiss, long and deep, until we”re practically devouring each other”s mouths. I can feel Marina”s pussy against my cock, and it sends an electrifying jolt of pleasure through me as she lowers herself onto me. I reach down between us, taking my shaft in my hand and lining it up with her opening. Then I thrust forward, burying myself inside her.

She lets out a gasp, arching her back and throwing her head back to expose the length of her neck to me. Her muscles clench around me, pulling tight like a vise grip. She squeezes hard enough to drive me wild with need as I begin to rock my hips, slowly moving in and out of her warm depths. She feels so fucking good that I have to fight to control myself. I want this to last forever. I lean up, kissing her deeply while she moves her hips faster, taking my cock deeper with each movement.

I lose myself in the sensations, plunging deeper still with every thrust, making her moan and call my name over and over as we rock together in ecstasy. Her inner muscles clamp down tight around my cock, squeezing and massaging me with exquisite pressure. My entire body throbs, every inch of my skin tingling with excitement as we move together in perfect sync. Our pace quickens, building toward a peak that will take us higher than ever before.

Just when I think I can”t bear another second of this incredible bliss, Marina cries out, trembling and shaking violently against me. The sensation sends me over the edge, and I explode deep within her, spilling myself as she comes undone. We cling to each other for dear life, savoring the afterglow until finally we relax into the bed together again, trying to catch our breaths.

”That was incredible,” I murmur, caressing her cheek as she lies curled up next to me, one leg thrown across my hips.

Marina giggles softly and nuzzles closer, her breath tickling my skin. ”I haven”t felt so satisfied in... well, ever.” She sighs happily, curling herself even tighter against me. She presses soft kisses to my chest, tracing her fingers lazily along my ribs while we lie there, basking in the afterglow of our lovemaking. After a moment, Marina shifts away, sitting up on one elbow as she stares down at me with eyes that reflect pure bliss. I gaze back at her adoringly, taking in the sight of her beautiful face and the perfect curves of her body. There is nothing sexier than this woman right now.

She is incredible, and I”ll do whatever it takes to keep her with me. Even if it means becoming a vampire myself.